‘British Gas took my disability allowance’

2:28am Tuesday 26th February 2008

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A woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis is battling with British Gas to get her disability payment back - 19 days after it was mistakenly removed from her bank account.

The firm, which last week announced annual profits of almost £600 million, debited £100 from Sandra Sinclair's account instead of £10.

The money, almost all her disability allowance, was removed on February 6 by a call centre employee.

It meant the 42-year-old mother of one has had to beg and borrow cash from family and friends to feed herself and her 16-year-old daughter.

She says she has been "humiliated" by the company which promised to return the money the same day.

"I only found out what happened when I had my card declined by the grocer," said Miss Sinclair of Fell Lane, Keighley.

"I realised then that it must be British Gas because it was supposed to take out just £10 so I could go on a meter system. Somebody must have pressed another nought."

But despite umpteen distressing phone calls and a later promise it would be with her within ten days, the money has not been returned to her account.

On one occasion a tearful Miss Sinclair said the British Gas employee she was talking to just hung up.

She said: "They have shown no compassion and no sympathy for my position.

"The money which was taken from my account was almost all my disability allowance for the week.

"I've had to beg for my money back and it still hasn't arrived.

"It is disgusting that they can leave me like this after making all this money. I find it sickening."

Miss Sinclair, who was been suffering from MS for at least nine years, said the stress had made her ill. "It has knocked me back. I'm physically exhausted by all of it. I've been so tired I've had to go to bed in the afternoon and I'm still no nearer getting my money."

The latest promise from British Gas was that the money would arrive within ten days and it would contain £30 in compensation for the telephone calls she made.

"But it doesn't matter about the compensation. I want the money in my account. It's going to take me weeks to catch up," she added.

Miss Sinclair's plight comes as Yorkshire and the Humber MEP Edward McMillan-Scott has branded the British Gas profit as "obscene".

It follows a 15 per cent hike in gas and electricity prices.

He has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission calling for an inquiry into price fixing and UK fuel price increases since Christmas.

Since then he said he had received e-mails and letters from people in Yorkshire asking for help with their battles against power giants.

British Gas was not able to comment on Miss Sinclair's case.

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